There's an election going on?

Hey Friends,

Well it hasn't been that long since my last post so this one won't be nearly as epic. I returned home to find that a rat had moved in and was chewing the plastic lid off my oil. I managed to live with it for awhile but the sound it made at rat moving around my house was just too much. I consulted my neighbor and he happily provided a trap. So the rat has been eliminated and I didn't even have to dispose of the body myself. As a side note the Chewa people, my tribe here in Zambia, do eat rats but those caught in the house. There are actually two words in Nyanja for rat, those that live in the house and those that live in the field. And no I have not yet experienced this delicacy.

Work has been about the same, with me spending a lot of time at the clinic trying to keep busy. My counterpart from PEPFAR has a lot of great ideas and we are currently planning sensitization meetings in my area to increase the rates of HIV testing. Its nice to finally have someone fired up about my work and with so many great ideas.

My clinic in-charges daughter is trying to teach herself biology so see can get the credit in the subject and go to nursing school. I have attempted to help her and have been dusting off my basic biology skills. Its been interesting to see the things they focus on, a lot more memorization while my biology education has mostly focused on concepts. I am not sure how much I am helping but I always looking for ways to promote education here in Zambia.

I have also experienced the first flat tire on my bike. Of course this occurred after my pump and patch kit were stolen from my saddle bags in the Boma and before I could replace them. I went to borrow a pump and ended up handing my tire off to a neighbor boy who returned with it nicely fixed for me. Sadly the patch didn't hold but I was able to manage without a bike for a few days before coming to Chipata.

The reason I am updating so soon is because I was called out of site for safety and security. My area recently lost its MP in a road accident and so we are currently experiencing a by-election, today was polling day in fact! Sometimes elections can result in riots so, even through there have been no problems in my area, its PC/Zambia policy to pull volunteers from site. Before heading out on Monday I was able to ascertain that elections mainly consist of people holding rallies, yelling candidates names, and driving around in cantor trucks signing. A but different then the campaigning done in America that's for sure. I did get to see the President's helicopter when he came by spent a few minutes wondering what in the world was going on before someone explained. Helicopters are definitely not of place in rural Zambia.

I have spent the last couple days hanging in Chipata with the new volunteers as they got ready to get posted. It really made me realize how much I have changed since I went to site 7 months ago! I was reminded of how nervous I was those first couple weeks compared with now when I get to site and I am so happy to be home. Its also nice not to be the new kids anymore and have people ask me for advice for a change.

My time in Chipata has been briefly interrupted with a quick trip to Lusaka for medical. I'm apparently developing allergies, most likely to my thatch roof or dust, which has left me with a headache for the last week. I did get a free cruiser down here, saw medical, and am heading back bright and early because I would much rather be in Chipata.

Well I guess that is all for now. Its 8:30 here and past my bedtime!

Love,
Allie